This invention relates to an improved system for generating power from the movement of motor vehicles over a roadway.
The most pertinent prior art known to the applicant at the time of filing this application is to be found in the following U.S. Pats. No. 1,312,131; No. 1,916,873; No. 2,020,361; No. 3,885,163; No. 4,081,224. As illustrated in many of the above-noted patents, it has long been recognized that the potential energy contained in moving vehicles can be converted into kinetic energy for providing useful work. However, the efficiency of most of these systems has proven to be relatively low because of the many friction losses typically built into the equipment.
In many major countries of the world the automobile is the primary mode of transportation. Roadways, particularly in and about larger cities, carry a relatively steady stream of traffic during a large part of each day. As can be seen, these moving vehicles represent a tremendous source of unused energy which, in light of the present energy shortage, could be utilized to supply much needed power.